Lightning-arrester.



No. 6405744. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

C. C. CHINN.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

(Application filed July 21, 1899.)

(N0 Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

CHARLES C. CIIINN, OF CANTON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY O.CI-IINN, OF SAME PLACE.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,744, dated January9, 1900.

Application filed July 21, 1899. Serial No. 724,671. (No model.)

T at whom, it may cancer/t: v

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. CHINN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Lewis and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Lightning-Arrester, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to lightning-arresters; and it has for its objectto provide a cheap and efficient construction which may be employed inconnection with a telephone or other instrument to be protected againstexcessive charges of electricity whether said charges be due tolightning, to crossed wires, or from any other cause, the structurecomprising a ground-plate and discharge-plates adjacent thereto,t-he arebetween a dischargeplate and a ground-plate being assisted initially bymeans of a fuse connecting the discharge-plates and lying in closeproximity to the ground-plate.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichsimilar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in bothViews,Figure 1 shows a lightning-arrester in series with a telephoneinstrument to be protected, said instrument being in a bridged line.Fig.2 is a diagram showing a modification of a lightning-arresterconnected to protect an instrument in a complete metallic circuit.

Referring now to the drawings, 5 repre sents a telephone instrument ofany desired construction, which in Fig. 1 of the drawings is included ina bridge-circuit comprising a line wire 6 and from which instrumentleads the usual ground-wire 7. The wires 6 and 7 are connected with theusual bindingposts 8 and 9 of the telephone instrument, and connectedwith post 9 is one terminal of a helix 10, forming an element of thelightning-arrester and the opposite terminal of which is connected witha discharge-plate 11. Adjacent the plate 11 and isolated therefrom is aground-plate 12, having the usual ground connection 13; also adjacentthe plate 12, and preferably on the opposite side thereof from the plate11, is a second discharge-plate 14, having direct electrical connectionwith the conductor 6. The plates 11 and 14 are supported by the screws15, and connected with them and extending across the ground-plate 12 isa fuse 16 of such dimensions and material as to fuse under the influenceof a current having a voltage less than that required to establish anare between either plate 11 or 14 and the plate 12, the inter-spacebetween the fuse and the plate 12 being less than either of theinterspaces between plate 12 and plates 11 and 14 to insure theformation of an are between the fuse and the groundplate in preferenceto its formation between a discharge-plate and the ground-plate. Toassist in this arcing operation, the solenoid is employed, and thus ifthe conductor 6 become overcharged the current will pass from saidconductor to the plate 14, from which its tendency will be to pass toplate 11 through the fuse 16 and through the solenoid 10 and telephoneto the ground connection '7. The counter electromotive force of thesolenoid 10 will, however, act to retard the flow of currenttherethrough, resulting in the sudden raising of the potential of thecurrent in the fuse to a point to insure a discharge therefrom to theplate 12. This sudden rise in po-= tential is assisted in the formationof the arc by the melting of the fuse under the influence of a currentin its passage therethrough, the instantaneous arc at the time ofmelting being deflected to the ground-plate.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings there is shown a construction in which twoplates 11 are employed, with each of which is connected one terminal ofa solenoid 10, the opposite terminal of each solenoid being connecteddirectl y with the telephone instrument 5. Two plates 14 are alsoemployed, which are connected with their respective plates 11 by meansof fuses 16, said plates 14 having also direct connection withline-wires 20 and 21, and with which wires the plates and telephoneinstrument are thus in series. In this construction it will be readilyunderstood that the excessive charge in either line-wire 20 and 21 willbe grounded to the common plate 12 from its respective discharge-plateassisted by the fusing of the fuse, as above described.

It will of course be understood that various other modifications of thelightning-arrester may be made and that its specific construction may bealtered and that it may be con- ICO nected with an instrument to beprotected in any desired effective manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In alightning-arrester, the combination with a ground plate, of dischargeplates adjacent theretoand adapted to discharge to the ground-plate, anda fuse connected with the discharge-plates and lying adjacent theground-plate and adapted to discharge thereto.

2. In a lightning-arrester, the combination with a ground-plate, ofdischarge-plates adjacent the ground-plate and adapted to dischargethereto, a fusible connection between the discharge-plates and adaptedto discharge to the ground-plate, and a resistance in the circuit of thedischarge-plates.

3. In a lightning-arrester, the combination with a ground-plate, of adischarge-plate at each side of the ground-plate and separated therefromby an interspace and adapted to discharge thereto, a f use-wire conneoted with the discharge-plates and separated from the ground-plate byan interspace less than the separation of the ground-plate from thedischarge-plate, said fuse-wire being adapted to discharge to theground-plate, whereby the fusing of the wires will act to assist arcingbetween a discharge-plate and the ground-plate, a line connection withone of the dischargeplates, and an instrument having intimate connectionwith the other disch arge-plate,and a choking-coil between theinstrument and its plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedm y signature in the prese nce of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. OHINN.

\Vitnesses:

A. D. Ramon, J. W. LILLARD,

